My flock of 17 grown hens has for over the past month shown a marked lack of interest in the Blue Seal extra layer feed I've been fermenting and giving them for the last half year or so. I thought it could be that I'd started to let them free-range again most of the day. Additionally, I thought maybe it could be a bag of old feed I'd purchased (if I recall, I bought pellets and I think the crumble is more popular and perhaps more reliably fresher as a result (of demand)). I tried the dry version with no appreciable difference.
Last week, I bought a new bag of crumble and there still doesn't seem to be much difference in appetite. A new development is that they now seem to prefer the grower feed I've been giving my six young hens, who now mingle with the older birds and consequently share pens when I let them all loose simultaneously to free-range.
I continue to give them all my kitchen scraps, plenty of grit and calcium and I'm sure they've gotten lots of protein from my garden which was largely finished by the time I opened the beds to let them have some fun.
However, I notice they seem quite hungry when I approach with a container of food but respond with what seems like total indifference.
As far as egg-laying goes, they are now approaching their one year mark but already there is marked decline in production. During the last year these hens, some of which are star hybrids, have given me as many as 15 eggs/day (and averaging about a dozen) but more recently have been averaging 10, with the 5 I got the day before yesterday being the lowest level yet. Really, the last week has been an erratic one, production-wise, from the 5 I mention all the way to 13 or so but generally on the low side.
There have been a few eggs showing up in their droppings shelf in the morning, some complete but with weak shells and others just a liquid mess.
I do artificially light their coop for 14 hours/day.
What can I do to a) find out if they are getting the nutrients they need and b) how to remedy the situation if they are indeed not getting what they need?
Thanks.
Last week, I bought a new bag of crumble and there still doesn't seem to be much difference in appetite. A new development is that they now seem to prefer the grower feed I've been giving my six young hens, who now mingle with the older birds and consequently share pens when I let them all loose simultaneously to free-range.
I continue to give them all my kitchen scraps, plenty of grit and calcium and I'm sure they've gotten lots of protein from my garden which was largely finished by the time I opened the beds to let them have some fun.
However, I notice they seem quite hungry when I approach with a container of food but respond with what seems like total indifference.
As far as egg-laying goes, they are now approaching their one year mark but already there is marked decline in production. During the last year these hens, some of which are star hybrids, have given me as many as 15 eggs/day (and averaging about a dozen) but more recently have been averaging 10, with the 5 I got the day before yesterday being the lowest level yet. Really, the last week has been an erratic one, production-wise, from the 5 I mention all the way to 13 or so but generally on the low side.
There have been a few eggs showing up in their droppings shelf in the morning, some complete but with weak shells and others just a liquid mess.
I do artificially light their coop for 14 hours/day.
What can I do to a) find out if they are getting the nutrients they need and b) how to remedy the situation if they are indeed not getting what they need?
Thanks.
